The purpose of this step is to ensure that hiring authorities use consistent and measurable qualifications rather than subjective values and vague assumptions when assessing application materials.
When it comes time to evaluate applications, members of the hiring committee and program affiliates who weigh in on faculty-hiring decisions should bear in mind that equitable evaluation hinges on clarity and consistency. The qualities that the hiring committee and all other decisionmakers deem preferable should be well defined and ranked in importance prior to application review and must remain invariable throughout the evaluation process.
Members of the hiring committee should meet prior to reviewing applications to establish and agree upon clear evaluation criteria. Such criteria should address all application materials, including diversity statements.
At this time, hiring authorities should also establish clear expectations regarding how evaluation discussions will be structured. Such expectations should include an agreement upon the types of applicant qualities that will be viewed as desirable versus those that should not weigh into hiring decisions. Hiring authorities should also establish an equitable discussion format in which each decisionmaker has ample time to express observations. The committee might, for example, decide that each person should sequentially provide input so as to prevent a competitive conversation dominated by a select number of voices. This evaluation process should then be implemented during all decision-making meetings, whether limited to the hiring committee or incorporating the entire unit.
For more on how to equitably evaluate diversity statements, please see this link.
Establishing Evaluation Protocols
Hiring authorities should consult the following resources prior to finalizing evaluation criteria:
- The Evaluating Applicants Guide, located in CU Boulder's Faculty Search Process Manual.
- The Criteria Evaluation Best Practices Matrix, located in CU Boulder's Faculty Search Process Manual.
- The Diversity Search and Outreach Program Manager in Human Resources
- The Affirmative Action Officer in Human Resources
Rubrics for Consistent Assessment
Hiring committees in the Environmental Studies Program might consider using rubrics to formalize and standardize evaluation criteria. Committees that implement this tool should, however, do so carefully. While this practice is often recommended in postsecondary institutions' hiring handbooks, at least one study suggests it could negatively affect inclusive and equitable hiring efforts.
If a hiring committee chooses to employ an evaluation rubric after carefully researching the possible benefits and drawbacks of utilizing this tool, CU Boulder's Faculty Search Process Manual provides templates that may be useful.
If you want to return to Step 4, click here.
If you want to return to the ENVS faculty-hiring protocols Home Page, click here.